WWE No Way out 2012: Five Reasons Why CM Punk Will Retain the WWE Championship

With just a few days to go before WWE's No Way Out pay-per-view, the match that seems to be the most promising is the triple threat match between CM Punk, Daniel Bryan and Kane for the WWE Championship.

Because of John Cena and Big Show, this match will not be the main event of the PPV. But it certainly seems like most fans who buy No Way Out will be doing it for this match instead of Cena and Big Show inside a steel cage.

Punk has been the reigning WWE Champion since November, and he has defended his title against Alberto Del Rio, The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, Mark Henry, Chris Jericho twice and Daniel Bryan, as well as winning the Elimination Chamber match. So his title run is easily one of the best over the last several years. 

Because of the length of his reign, though, it is only a matter of time before Punk drops the belt. Many believe it will happen this Sunday, and either Daniel Bryan or Kane will walk out of the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with the company's most coveted prize.

But I don't see that happening. Here are five reasons why CM Punk will defend his championship once again at No Way Out. 

5. He Has Been a Great Champion

CM Punk has done everything you could have wanted from a WWE Champion since winning the title back in November at Survivor Series.

Punk has put on dozens of great matches along with his usual tremendous mic work, and he remains one of the most popular superstars in the company.

Sure. Punk may never reach the level of popularity he obtained last summer when almost exactly one year ago he made his famous worked shoot promo about the issues with the WWE. However, Punk has done the best with the material he's been given and always manages to make his feuds and matches entertaining.

Now, that's not saying he won't lose the title soon because he assuredly will lose it at some point in the near future. His eight-month title reign is an incredible feat when you really think about the nature of how quickly title changes occur in today's WWE.

But having him lose the belt at a low level PPV in a triple threat match feels like a kind of fluky way for him to lose the championship. The company would be better served to have Punk remain champ at least until SummerSlam, one of the "big four" PPVs of the year.

4. Neither Bryan or Kane Is the Right Man to Take His Title

CM Punk will eventually lose his WWE Championship. But for those clamoring that the time be now, you have to ask, would the belt be better off with Daniel Bryan or Kane?

Kane is 45. He may very well get one last final world title reign before he hangs up the boots, but he seems much more suited to be World Heavyweight Champion than the more coveted WWE Champion.

The Big Red Monster has done well in his return and has proved he can still put on an entertaining match, especially for a man his size. However, he is nowhere near the wrestler that Punk or Bryan is, and having him win the belt would be a downgrade. 

Kane, in my mind, is always better booked when he is not even caring about the WWE Championship. After all, he is supposed to be a monster who is only out to hurt people, so what does he care whether or not he has a belt around his waist?

Bryan, on the other hand, just finished up recently with a pretty lengthy run as World Heavyweight Champion. He lost the belt at WrestleMania to Sheamus just over two months ago. Is the WWE really ready to push Bryan to that status of being a World Heavyweight and WWE Champion in a six-month period?

It's possible, and believe me I wouldn't object to it. I am a huge fan of Bryan, especially since his heel turn, and no one is denying his amazing in ring skill. 

I just don't buy that Vince McMahon and the rest of the WWE brass are sold enough on Bryan to book him that way this early on in his main event career. 

By the time it's all said and done, Bryan will be a multiple-time WWE Champion in my opinion. But this Sunday it would be pretty shocking to see him win the belt from an already established CM Punk. 

Instead, I see Punk losing the title to either a returning Brock Lesnar, Big Show or even possibly the Money in the Bank winner.

3. AJ

Like it or not, AJ Lee is right in the middle of this three-way feud for the WWE Championship.

I personally think she's been doing a great job portraying her "crazed obsessed" character, and this week she took it to a whole different level when she jumped on Kane and kissed him (it was a pretty legit kiss, too), shocking the Devil's Favorite Demon and allowing Punk and AJ to pick up the tag team victory.

That is twice now that AJ has come to the rescue of Punk, and I believe it will happen again at No Way Out.

Picture this scenario:

AJ comes to the ring during the match (you know she will for one reason or the other) sporting her CM Punk T-shirt to cheer him on. Kane gets thrown outside of the ring and locks eyes with AJ, who smiles at him, walks up to him and kisses him again before skipping off. A shocked and smitten Kane leaves the match to find her, leaving Punk in a one-on-one situation with Bryan, which would allow him to hit the GTS and retain the strap.

Or, she could come to the ring and get revenge on Bryan for publicly humiliating her and dumping her. 

Whatever direction they choose to go with it, make no mistake, AJ will be directly involved in the result of this match (whether we like it or not). And it only seems logical that her involvement will lead to Punk retaining his title and then beginning a on-screen romance with the Second City Saint.

2. The Feud Still Has Life to It

I have been pretty impressed with this feud to this point.

It started out when Daniel Bryan became the No. 1 contender by winning a beat the clock challenge on Raw, which set up the match with Punk at Over the Limit.

That was one of the best matches of the year, easily, and it left us all wanting more from those two. Naturally, when Kane got involved, I was very skeptical. But I think this is an interesting way to use Kane, and he won't really take away from the greatness of the match at No Way Out. In fact, I think seeing the three of them go at it actually makes it a better potential match then if we saw Bryan vs. Punk II. 

Plus, there is the whole AJ angle, which easily could have turned into a complete failure but has actually turned out to be a fairly interesting wrinkle in the feud for the WWE Championship.

This feud is going to likely continue in some way after this Sunday unless CM Punk wins 100 percent clean.

The feud has more legs to it if Bryan is still chasing after the WWE Championship, and Kane is torn between his desire to become champion and his desire to pursue AJ's affection. 

If the WWE really wants either of them to take the title, I think having them do it at Money in the Bank coming up in July would make more sense. 

1. It Sets Up a Feud with Big Show

It has been rumored that CM Punk is going to be facing Big Show at this year's SummerSlam event. 

It all seems to make sense. Big Show beats John Cena this Sunday to get Cena "fired" and give him some much needed time off to deal with his divorce, while Big Show continues his run of dominance and keeps John Laurinaitis in power.

Meanwhile, Punk takes care of Bryan and Kane in the next two PPVs and retains his title, setting up the feud at SummerSlam for the WWE Championship.

Putting the title on the line is the right move if you're going to have these two feud at SS. A non-title feud wouldn't really have legs, much like Show's current feud with Cena.

Big Show is the No. 1 heel in the company right now, especially if he beats Cena on Sunday. So whether we like it or not, it is obvious that sooner or later, he is going to be in the WWE Championship picture.

With Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar also seeming to be in the workings for the event, it would give the WWE two legitimate main event matches for their second PPV of the year.